Brussels dropped two places on this year’s Safe Cities Index.
The index is published every two years by The Economist, which rates cities depending on a number of factors including digital, health, infrastructure, environmental and personal security.
While Brussels' ranking is dropping due to its own shortcomings or the improvement of other cities is unclear, but the city was in 19th place in 2017, and in 24th place in 2019.
This year, Brussels dropped even lower and comes 26th with an average score of 73.6, between Seoul and Milan.
First on the list is Copenhagen with a score of 82.4, followed by Toronto (82.2) and Singapore (80.7).
While Brussels scored a fifth place for personal security, it drops to 31st for both health security and infrastructure security, and falls even further for environmental security and mobility, where it occupies 36th place for both categories.
So, what do you think? Is Brussels a safe city?
Let @johnstonjules know. Or @maithechini, as she wrote it today.
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1. Brussels drops two places on Safe Cities Index
Brussels has dropped two places on this year’s Safe Cities Index, compiled by The Economist, to land in 26th place between Seoul and Milan. Read more.
2. None of Brussels’ intensive care patients had received a vaccine
Brussels hospitals are gradually filling up with Covid-19 patients again, and one thing they all have in common is that none opted for a free vaccine against the coronavirus, according to the staff of Sint-Jan hospital in Brussels. Read more.
3. Brussels focuses on video surveillance in move towards a ‘Smart City’
Brussels has joined ranks with a number of cities seeking to become more digitised and modern, a concept known as “Smart Cities,” and has focused its efforts primarily on investing in a video surveillance network, according to a new scientific research paper. Read more.
4. Brussels can now transfer Covid patients to Flemish hospitals
Starting from today/Monday, Brussels can transfer coronavirus patients to hospitals in Flanders or Wallonia to take the increasing pressure off the Capital-Region’s intensive care units. Read more.
5. Brussels’ best architecture award: The nominees
The nominees for the first Brussels architectural awards have been decided, with landmarks from Place Rogier to the summer bars of the Brussels parks in the running for the prizes. Read more.
6. 3M vows to follow Flemish environmental safety measures
The 3M chemical company says it will comply immediately with safety measures set by the Flemish environmental inspectorate on Friday following an in-depth inspection at its plant in Zwijndrecht. Read more.
7. Belgium’s cranes take flight for the first time
Two birds thought t0 be the first Common Cranes born in Belgium have spread their wings and taken flight from their home in the valley of the Zwarte Beek in the province of Limburg, but they won’t be going far quite yet. Read more.
